HOPES the life of Wylfa nuclear power station could be extended by two years appeared doomed last night.

Experts at the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority yesterday told MPs it is " not looking likely " a Government-commissioned study will find a way of keeping the plant open past 2010.

Their comments will come as huge blow to neighbouring Anglesey Aluminium, which relies on cheap electricity from the plant.

The closure of both Anglesey Aluminium and Wylfa will lead to more than 1,000 job losses, and devastate the island's economy.

The NDA is due to publish results of a feasibility study, within weeks, on whether decommissioning can be delayed until 2012.

But during a hearing of the Welsh Affairs select Committee, NDA engineering director Richard White said an extension would prove "very problematic".

He added: "At the moment it is not looking likely that any overall business case will be generated."

He explained one of the biggest stumbling blocks is the knock-on effect on plans to decommission the Sellafield nuclear reprocessing site in Cumbria.

Under an international agreement between the UK and Ireland, discharges from Sellafield must stop by 2020.

This means the site must close between 2012 and 2013, which in turn means Wylfa must send its last spent fuel to Sellafield before the end of 2010. NDA regional director Dr Brian Burnett said: "The critical point is the dispatch of the last fuel elements."

An extension to Wylfa would also rely on two more years of nuclear fuel supply - equivalent to 280 tonnes of radioactive material. However, the last remaining Magnox fuel production plant in the world, Springfield in Lancashire, is also on the verge of being decommissioned.

Additionally, the NDA representatives explained between #70m and #100m would have to be spent on making Wylfa safe for another two years of production. Ynys Mon Labour MP Albert Owen, who has urged minister to extend the plant's life to safeguard jobs, last night remained upbeat.

He seized on NDA evidence that showed another two years of power production at the North Wales plant would provide between #330m and #380m of income. Mr Owen said this income would outweigh the local costs of shutting the plant.

He told the Daily Post: "If this report in a few weeks is negative, then I do not think it will be the end of the issue.

"They are saying that Sellafield has to close, but I think they have been very conservative with the decommissioning. We have these figures now, which show the income and benefits to the local area."

The Anglesey Aluminium smelter consumes 12% of all energy used in Wales, with electricity accounting for more than a third of its running costs.